Beldhunga emerges as popular tourist destination

By Thakur Prasad Acharya,Myagdi, Nov. 4: Beldhunga, perched at an altitude of 2,614 meters, lies at the convergence of Musung and Okhale villages in Bhakimli. One can enjoy the stunning sight of the glistening silver Himalayas and the sunrise right before their eyes from his vantage point. Over the past few years, domestic tourists have begun to throng this enchanting destination.

Surrounded by a dense forest, Beldhunga has a massive rock in the shape of a flat bell. A 260-metre-long stone-laid footpath has been constructed to reach the top of the rock. After reaching atop the rock, one can observe more than a dozen mountains, from Churen Himal in East Rukum to Manaslu Himal in Gorkha.

Churen, Dhaulagiri, Manapathi, Nilgiri, Annapurna, Barahshikhar, Tilicho Peak, Machhapuchhre, Gangapurna, Lamjung Himal and the Manaslu snow range are all visible from this rock.

Beni Municipality and Kanthekhola Rural Municipality in Baglung are actively working to develop Beldhunga as a tourist destination. Both local levels have constructed viewpoints along the roads and footpaths within Beldhunga. 

Padam Pun, the Chairman of Ward No. 3 of Beni Municipality, stated that the municipality is committed to developing needed infrastructure and has plans to establish Beldhunga as a prominent tourist spot.

He said, “Anyone can enjoy the majestic view of numerous mountains stretching from Churen in East Rukum to Manaslu in Gorkha from Beldhunga. It is a breathtaking location from where you can behold the panoramic mountain range from a single vantage point. Our objective is to promote tourism in this area and attract both domestic and international tourists.”

He mentioned that the initial efforts to transform Beldhunga into a tourist destination area were initiated by the residents of Ward No. 3 in Bhakimli. Pun further explained that with the advent of the local government, the ward embarked on infrastructure development for the first time, and Baglung district also began investing in its progress.

 A community housing project is ongoing in Okhle village in addition to that there is a plan to establish homestays in Musung village of Bhakimli.

Prithvi Prasad Pun, a local resident of Musung, said that domestic tourists have recently started coming from Beni and Baglung. 

To develop Beldhunga into a tourist destination area, he said that both municipalities should prioritise the construction of additional tourism infrastructure.